Watch The French Chef with Julia Child

The French Chef with Julia Child is a renowned cooking show that first aired in 1963. The show, which initially aired on public broadcasting network WGBH, featured Julia Child, a charismatic and knowledgeable chef who introduced the United States to French techniques and cuisine. Julia Child was born in Pasadena, California in 1912 and spent time working for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. After the war, she moved to France with her husband Paul, where she became enamored with French cuisine. In 1961, she published her first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which quickly became a bestseller. The French Chef with Julia Child grew out of Child's desire to bring French cuisine and techniques to American home cooks. The show was a groundbreaking effort, both in terms of its subject matter and its format. Unlike many cooking shows before it, which were often dry and instructional, The French Chef was educational but also entertaining. Child's bubbly personality and obvious passion for cooking made the show must-watch television for millions of Americans for the next decade. The show's format was also groundbreaking. Rather than simply demonstrating recipes, Child often talked viewers through the process, explaining why she was doing certain things and what the end result should look and taste like. She also made mistakes on the show, showing viewers that cooking wasn't always perfect and that it was okay to make mistakes in the kitchen. One of the most famous episodes of the show was one in which Child attempted to make an omelette. She struggled with the flipping process, and the omelette ended up looking like a mess. Rather than hide the mistake, Child laughed it off, saying that it still tasted delicious even if it didn't look perfect. In addition to omelettes, Child covered a wide range of dishes on the show, including sauces, soups, stews, and desserts. Her show also had guests, including her husband Paul and her friend Simone Beck, who co-authored Mastering the Art of French Cooking with Child. The French Chef with Julia Child ran for ten years, eventually ending in 1973. However, Child remained a presence on television and in the culinary world for the rest of her life. She continued to publish cookbooks and starred in other cooking shows, including Julia Child & Company and Dinner at Julia's. Today, The French Chef with Julia Child is seen as a landmark television program. It not only helped introduce Americans to French cuisine, but it also changed the way cooking shows were produced and presented. Child's combination of expertise and personality set the standard for generations of cooking shows that followed. In 2009, the show was digitally remastered and released on DVD. It continues to inspire home cooks and professional chefs alike, and Julia Child remains a beloved figure in American culinary history.